Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1919 — Jesse Grim Writes Home Folks at Gifford [ARTICLE]

Jesse Grim Writes Home Folks at Gifford

Mosson, France, Jan. 19, 1919. Dear Ones at Horae —I will endeavor to drop you a few lines this Saturday p. m. Just finished eating dinner and am in pretty good shape for a long letter. I think about this time of day over there you folks are just eating breakfast, as I think the difference In time between Chioago and Paris is about 6 hours. Well, ifolks, I guess the peace conference is about through with, so I am pretty sure that peace will soon be signed. We had some hope for a while that we would get to come hofne as soon as hostilities ceased, but I do not now think that we will get to come before spring, as I do not think peace will be signed before March 1, and ■maybe not until later. I am very anxious to get home, though, and surely am hoping that the day is soon. Sometimes I had layed off writing for T had a faint idea that I might beat the letter home. Well, T will try to tell you a part of my life since I’ve been over here. [ know you are anxiops to know what I have been up against, -either good or bad. I tef-t New York harbor with the 81s;Uor “Wildcat” division August 5, and after seven days of real fast riding we arrived at Liverpool, England, August 12. We had a safe i trip and this was a very fast boat and npxt to the | largest afloat. Its name was the Acquaintania. There were about 10,000 of us come over on it, so

you can imagine the size of it. For about three days I was just a little leary that we might he attacked, as our seaplanes and destroyers had left ns and we were by our own sweet lonesome. Not another boat of any description was In sight for three long days, hut on the morning of the day we landed a convoy from this side came to our relief, and say! believe me, we sure were glad to see them l for we were then in the real danger zone and sure felt that we needed about all the help we could get, but nothing happened, and I sure was glad to see land once more. Well, after arriving in Liverpool we then hiked about 7 miles with our full packs to Camp Knotty Ash; stayed there one day then entrained for South Hampton, England. I enjoyed that trip very much, as parts of England are very pretty and it was some satisfaction to be on solid ground again. Of course, now, don’t think that we had Pullmans to ride in, for we didn’t. Really, If the 'people In the old world could see one of our

passenger trains in the States they would run and hide, for we hare it on them In a hundred ways for service. Well, we went aboard a U. S. boat at South Hampton for the dangerous ride across the English channel. Thanks to the convoys, we got across safely, landing at La Harve, France, on August 17T From' there we entrained for our training camp at Vlvlers, near Tournerre. Here we got our first drilling In the old world, and they sdrely put us through, the mi’ll, but that was only the beginning. In September we started for the front and took up a position that was said to be a quiet sector, but it was far from it. There was where I got my first taste of what the game was. When you think it Is pleasant work on an outpost or patrollng, why, you have another guess coming. Aifter we were relieved by a Polish division we went a few miles back of the lines and ( took up our last training period, | which was to put us in shape ,to . meet the Huns in large quantities. I After training here for about three weeks we entrained for the St. Miheil sector. But before this we j had -put in many days of very hard j hiking with heavy packs. It surely was a tough guy that went through these without falling out. After detraining at a place called Sampigny we started on another hike to the front again. Camped one night at St. Miheil, the next afternoon starting out again. From this on our hiking was after night, and it seemed as though it never failed to rain on one of these hikes either, so you can readily believe that I thought of home many, many times, especially when we got into this sector, as things were pretty hot there. Well, we rested for a few days at some camp about 10 miles from nowhere and back in the woods where a man would have to have a compass to find It. On the morning of November 9 were called out of bed about 3 o’clock and ordered to roll packs. Now, we knew that something was up so, after a hurried breakifast, we started, we knew not where, but we finally passed the artillery putting over a barrage. Then we knew for sure what was up. The day was rainy and foggy, as it most always was on the front. You know that kind of weather adds to the comfort of a soldier—“nit,’’ but at 11:05 we went over the top. I have told you in other letters about my experience in “over the top” so will not repeat it here, but you can see from this that we haven’t had a bed of roses to lie on while over here. I know there are a lot of you that would like to see this country and enVy ns, but it is all old stuff to us and I can say that I have seen all the “scenery” that I care to see except a little spoi in Indiana, called home, sweet home. It’s all over now and I hope that there will never be another time when so many will have to sacrifice their all, just for the sake of a few men who think that the world was only made for them. 1 can’t help but think of the boys that are resting “over here.” They did all that they could, and gave all they could give. No doubt many hearts are torn and bleeding for their loved ones that will never return. But God knows and surely will give them a reward for all their trials and hardships that one is sure to encounter in war times. Well, I suppose yon are getting tired of reading this, so will have to cut it out. But just before I

quit this miserable letter let me tell you that I just got paid, or, as we used to call it, the “ghost walked.” They are still deducting $21.70, Including insurance. I get $40.20 per month, so you see that only leaves me $18.50, butl that’s enough anyhow, for it don’t take a fool and his money long to part over here.

Will send you a few postal cards also a 1-franc note, that Is about 18 or 19c cents in our money. (How would you like to have a pocketful of this stuff? Well, bye bye, hope to hear from you soon. Your son and brother, CORP. JESSE GRIMM, Co. M, 324 Inf. U. S. A. P. O. 791, A. E. P.